“We don’t want Republic TV here. They work on the orders of BJP MP who funds the channel”: Shehla Rashid on assassination of Gauri Lankesh

September 7, 2017, 3:58 PM IST

New Delhi: The gruesome murder of senior journalist, Gauri Lankesh, was followed by thousands of journalists and members of civil society gathering across the country to stage protests.

Journalists and other prominent citizens gathered at the Press Club in Delhi, where they expressed their anger and agony over what they termed was a blatant attack on the democracy of India.

However, a video of Republic TV reporter being booted out of protest venue has gone viral now and it was none other than former JNU students’ union leader, Shehla Rashid lashing out at the channel’s representative, who tries to elicit a response from her.

An angry Rashid erupts in anger when the channel’s representative attempts to record her speech supposedly for broadcast purposes. This prompts Rashid to stop her speech and tell the channel’s representative that she does not want Republic TV at the venue.

“You guys have been covering up the murder (Gauri Lankesh)… So get out. Please don’t put the mic in front me. We don’t want Republic TV here. They have a hand in covering up the assassination of Gauri Lankesh. These people only work at the order of a BJP MP, who funds the channel… Anyone, who’s celebrating this murder, we condemn in strongest possible words.”

Republic TV is mainly funded by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, an NDA MP, and Mohandas Pai, a known BJP supporter in Bangalore.

One user Nikhil Dadhich, had said, “One bitch dies a dog’s death and every puppy is crying in pain.”